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After All These Years…Proper Storage!

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Walt

After all these years–going on 20 years or so–I finally have begun what only seems like PROPER storage to me, for comics.

I bought a large storage rack–48″ wide, 72″ tall, 24″ deep–and it’s got the capacity to hold 25 longboxes. As of this typing, it’s got 17 1/2 (a shortbox), and I love the setup, and look forward to getting the rest of my boxes situated.  (And then begin the process of actually sorting the accumulation and getting back to an actual collection!)

Even the cat seems to approve.

comics_storage_rack_nov13to15

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

TMNT Toys in the Wild: Dimension X, Mutant Shredders, and Karai Serpent

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Walt

With another new season just started for the Nickelodeon TMNT series, it’s not surprising to find a new wave of the toys hitting at Target and Walmart (presumably elsewhere as well, but I have only been to and seen them at Walmart and Target lately).

Continuing with a “theme” like previous turtles variants, we have the Space-suit turtles for their apparent adventure in/from Dimension X, as well as villain Lord Dregg. I also happened across the Mutant Shredders pack.

A couple weeks earlier, I’d finally come across the Karai Serpent at a Family Dollar store, but where $8 is pushing it, $9 really pushing it…$10 is way too much for me for a basic TMNT figure like this.

As with my various other posts of this nature…photos of the figures on the card with their “profile” from the back are below.

leonardo_dimensionx_front

leonardo_dimensionx_profile

raphael_dimensionx_front

raphael_dimensionx_profile

Continue reading →

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Marvel December Launches [Checklist]

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Walt

December 2015

A-Force #1
All-New Inhumans #1
All-New X-Men #1
Daredevil #1
Guardians of Infinity #1
Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! #1
Red Wolf #1
Scarlet Witch #1
Spidey #1
Squadron Supreme #1
Starbrand & Nightmask #1
The Totally Awesome Hulk #1
Weirdworld #1

marvel_december_launches_checklist

[Source: Promotional postcard, pictured above]

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, Checklists, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Vader Down [Checklist]

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Walt

Star Wars: Vader Down event Checklist

  • Star Wars: Vader Down #1 – Part 1
  • Darth Vader #13 – Part 2
  • Star Wars #13 – Part 3
  • Darth Vader #14 – Part 4
  • Star Wars #14 – Part 5
  • Darth Vader #15 – Part 6

vader_down_checklist_2

vader_down_checklist_1

[source: promotional postcard, pictured above]

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, Checklists, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

All-New All-Different Marvel November Checklist

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Walt

November 2015

All-New Hawkeye #1
All-New Wolverine #1
All-New X-Men #1
All-New , All-Different Avengers #1
Black Knight #1
Carnage #1
Deadpool #1
Drax #1
Hercules #1
Howard the Duck #1
Illuminati #1
Mighty Thor #1
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #1
Ms. Marvel #1
Nova #1
Silk #1
Spider-Woman #1
Star-Lord #1
Ultimates #1
Venom: Space Knight #1
Vision #1
Web Warriors #1

marvel_november2015_launches_checklist

[source: promotional postcard (pictured above)]

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, Checklists, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The Weekly Haul – Week of July 29th, 2015

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Walt

This proved to be a pretty big week for me…two Marvels and an IDW.

weekly_haul_20150729a

I completely forgot about the Deadpool book, and figured I’d stay on it–not sure if it’s 4 or 5 issues, but I’m enjoying it and opted not to wait for it to hit Marvel Unlimited next year. And X-Men ’92 is just nothing but awesome on all sorts of levels. TMNT is TMNT, and a “given” for me.

weekly_haul_20150729b

Though I usually stick to ’90s stuff through present, I delved a little further back with some back issues this week. Between quarter bins and some $1 bins, I snagged a handful of older comics that happened to appeal to me tonight.

weekly_haul_20150729c

These Captain America volumes were already heavily discounted…but because they’re also rather beat-up–certainly not “brand-new” condition–the shop owner cut the price on both in half. So both volumes combined wound up costing me as much as three Marvel single issues.

So, definitely quite a haul for the week. Next week looks like it’ll be the first post-Valiant week where I’m not expecting anything one-off that’s been pre-ordered, where I’d been expecting these volumes as well as several I showed off last week.

For the difference, I’ll probably raid the back-issue bins…see if I can find one of the un-reprinted Silver Surfer issues from the run-up to 1991’s Infinity Gauntlet, or maybe a random Silver Age Superman or such…or browse the racks for an Image #1 or check the shelves for an Image vol. 1 paperback. Time will certainly tell!

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Weekly Haul | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The Weekly Haul – Week of July 22nd, 2015

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Walt

For only spending a little more than what many recent weeks have cost me, this week’s Wednesday Haul is quite different from most:

weekly_haul_20150722

I only bough one, lone single issue comic. However, I dug Crisis on Multiple Earths vol. 1 and Justice League: Trinity War out of a 70%-off bin, and the three Marvels cost me a little more than 4 contemporary Marvel single issues would have.

I’m expecting two Captain America volumes (from a recent “blow-out” of books the shop passed along to its email subscribers) next week that will balance things out again there. After that, more browsing and randomness.

Of course, I’m probably going to be leaning DC and Image-heavy on collected volumes for awhile, too, at least for “casual” stuff.

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Weekly Haul | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Like a Kid Again: Jurassic World Dino-Toys

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Walt

I saw Jurassic World last week, somewhat on a whim–and absolutely loved it. While I would not put it above the original 1993 Jurassic Park, at the moment I’d place it in the #2 slot if I were ranking the movies in the franchise.

However–22 years later, being an adult, having a job and thus the money (sorta)…

This one certainly ranks #1 in terms of me getting the toys. I had a snap-together model of the T-Rex from the first film, as well as a Stegosaurus model…and that’s about it. I don’t consciously, currently recall getting any other merchandise that came out with the movie; and don’t recall any from the second or third films.

toys_jurassic_world_velociraptors_front

I wanted to get Velociraptor “Blue”, but could not find this version, period. I found a version, but it was the one that has the “battle damage” hole to show the bone and such, and I absolutely did not want that version…not while spending much money on it. And given the pricing-to-size ratio, I didn’t want to buy the $15 battery-operated growling/roaring one.

Target had this “exclusive” 4-pack, and I grudgingly decided to go ahead and get it despite really just wanting the one raptor.

toys_jurassic_world_velociraptors_back

This pack was on sale, so the per-unit pricing was good…and the more I thought on it, the more I considered how cool it’d be TO have the whole pack of raptors…and rather than having to pay more sometime in the next few weeks, I took advantage of the sale (I’d feared the store running out, but apparently they’re quite well stocked on these).

The only main drawback is that the raptors are not entirely in-scale with the two dinos I’d already acquired–the Indominus Rex and the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Both of those went straight to work and rule over the top of my cube’s overhead bins.

toys_jurassic_world_dinos_at_work

While these were a lot in a short span…I don’t think I’m really interested in any of the other toys I’ve seen, given my active dislike of the battle-damaged ones.

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Frustration With Blind Boxes – The Loyal Subjects MMPR and TMNT

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Walt

I’m not a huge fan of "blind box" things…I’d rather know exactly what I’m buying. But sometimes they can be kinda fun, especially when the odds of getting at least one that I want from a line is pretty good.

I recently bought one each of the Loyal Subjects‘ "Action VInyls" blindboxes TMNT and MIghty Morphin’ Power Rangers lines.

loyal_subjects_tmnt_01

Overall, there’s a 50% chance of getting one of the turtles themselves in the TMNT line, as all 4 are each 2/16 for a total of 8/16 rarities…

loyal_subjects_tmnt_02

I’m still missing Casey from the Funko Mystery Minis line, so at least having this version would be cool. And thanks to some NON-blind keychains, I know Splinter and Shredder would be cool to have…withOUT a chain coming from the back of their heads.

loyal_subjects_MMPR_01

On the Power Rangers side, though I’d prefer Green or Red, Blue or Pink wouldn’t be bad, and even Yellow would be cool for at least being one of the Rangers.

loyal_subjects_MMPR_02

Goldar would be cool as well…at least in appearance…and Lord Zedd would be quite cool, as far as I’m concerned.

For the MMPR line, the Black Ranger is 1/24, with a 1/48 White Ranger, and a 1/96 Red Ranger with Green Ranger gold shield. The odds certainly would not be in my favor whatsoever to get those (of those I’d want the White Ranger.

For the TMNT line, I believe there are also "chase" rare figures, but with the higher-than-1/16 rarity, again with the odds not being at all in my favor so not really a consideration.

Of all of the 2/16 figures for TMNT, the only one I really would not be interested in having as a lone/single figure is Karai.

And of all of the 2/16 figures for MMPR, the only one I really would not be interested in (lone/single or otherwise) is Rita.

I bought one single box from each line.

loyal_subjects_rita_and_karai

I should have just bought the TMNT Party Wagon or Batman ’66 Batmobile from the Funko Pops line, for the money I spent on these.

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The Weekly Haul – Week of June 3rd, 2015

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Walt

Secret Wars is in FULL FORCE this week, having so very quickly ramped up in quantity, frequency, etc. Marvel is truly hitting a bunch of nostalgia points with me, which is exactly what they were going for, I know…but they’ve successfully re-targeted me as an audience, if only for the duration of Secret Wars itself (though moreso the tie-ins).

weekly_haul_20150603a

I have yet to get around to actually READING the original Hulk: Future Imperfect or X-Men: The X-Tinction Agenda stories, but those are classics I’ve long been aware of and actually own (in some form) somewhere in my collection…but haven’t read. X-Men: Days of Future Past was one of THE stories in my youth, and one of the earliest hard-sought reading experiences for me to track down (I had to settle for a children’s novelization of the story before I ever got to read the actual comics!).

And of course, a married Spider-Man? After all my grousing through the years about Brand New Day and all that? An actual Amazing Spider-Man comic with Spidey, Peter, MJ, a baby, etc.? You’d darned well better believe I picked THIS one up.

weekly_haul_20150603b

On a frustrating note…there are five Star Wars titles that I’m aware of at the moment. WHY an entire 60% of that load had to fall into ONE WEEK is absolutely BEYOND me. A tangible effect, though, is that because of these, I SKIPPED Secret Wars stuff I otherwise would have bought.

I actually read Grayson #1 in the Young Gotham Sampler, and enjoyed it; if the vol. 1 that just came out/is due out were a PAPERBACK I think I’d be all over it. As-is, as a hardcover, it’s gonna wait. And while I’d had spoilers for the end of New 52: Futures End and the Batman Beyond stuff, I still opted to check this one out for myself…ESPECIALLY once I noticed the $2.99 price point (yeah, TWO-ninety-nine, NOT the virtually-standard-now THREE-ninety-nine)!

weekly_haul_20150603c

And finally on the tail end, my actual PULL LIST stuff: TMNT & Valiant. While good when I actually read ’em, I’m (dishearteningly so) amazed at how much DAMAGE has been done to my feelings toward their stuff in general of late due to the Legends of the Geomancer crap. (Damage that I think has contributed to my embracing Marvel for a bit with stuff I’m truly enjoying and looking forward to.)

I knew going into the shop this week that it was gonna be huge and expensive…I didn’t even step PAST the new issues rack this week. No quarter-bin temptations, no random back issues, etc. Just the new books, paid, and got the heck out.

Filed under: 2015 Non-Review posts, 2015 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Weekly Haul | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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